


Ash Cat and Stray Dog

by junko



Series: the distance between us [6]
Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-14
Updated: 2012-03-14
Packaged: 2017-11-01 22:55:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/362169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While trying to find out more about Byakuya, Renji accidentally dates Matsumoto.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ash Cat and Stray Dog

**Author's Note:**

> Setting: Still continuing on in the world of “The Distance Between Us,” which is just about a week into Renji’s transfer to the Sixth Division. 
> 
> I am still floundering around with this storyline, because, apparently, I want to live every moment of every one of Renji’s days.

_"No man is fit to command another that cannot command himself."_

 

Renji discovered command came fairly naturally to him, and the Division ran smoothly throughout the rest of the morning, despite the captain’s absence. At noon, he announced he’d be taking a short break, leaving a very stunned looking Third seat to hold down the fort. He’d been intending to take the opportunity to hunt down Matsumoto to see if she had any inkling of who else Byakuya might be sleeping with, but she found him instead. He was hardly a foot out of the division headquarters, when she came running up to him.

She smiled into his face, her giant breasts heaving from the exertion of the short dash. She flipped back her long, red-gold curls, and exclaimed, “Renji! I was just coming to see if it was true, what everyone is saying.”

_Oh, holy crap._ “What… what is everyone saying?”

“That Captain Control-Freak is actually letting a lieutenant do something more than file paperwork!” She opened her hands widely, as if displaying him, “And look at you! You’re in charge!”

“This is news?”

“Huge!” she insisted, tucking her arm under his and leading them along the road. “Did you never wonder what happened to your predecessor? I heard he was bored out of his mind because Kuchiki wouldn’t let him touch anything. That’s why he’s mustered out and is running a store, for crying out loud. A store! I suppose, though, anything was better than sitting around all day watching Kuchiki run the show.”

“The captain never took a day off?”

“Not even when his wife died.”

“That’s bullshit,” Renji insisted.

“Oh, no it isn’t,” she said. “I hear he worked through the whole thing, you know, pushed through the pain, and the division was under a serious pall, too. Some people say it’s never really recovered.”

Well, Renji could almost imagine that. Everyone did seem to walk around on eggshells around the captain, though he’d always just figured that was because Byakuya was so strict. When Matsumoto waved to a passing soldier, Renji looked around at the streets and finally asked, “Uh, where are we going?”

“You’re buying me lunch,” Matsumoto said lightly, as if they’d agreed on it all along.

“Oh, okay,” Renji said, feeling sort of baffled, but willing to roll with the idea.

“So…” she said, leaning her head against his shoulder. “What miracle did you perform to make Kuchiki release his iron grip on the division?”

“I didn’t realize I needed a miracle,” he said.

“It’s a big deal, Renji,” she insisted. “You’re the first lieutenant he trusts.”

Renji frowned. Could that be true?

“And what happened to him, anyway,” she asked, trying to sound light, but Renji could tell she was fishing. “I heard he was sick or something.”

Time to cut those rumors down and quickly. “You know what’s wrong with him,” Renji said gruffly. “You’re the one who told me what yesterday was, you know, for him.”

“Oh! The anniversary!” she covered her mouth with her hand. “That poor thing! He’s grieving! Oh, Renji, look at the gift you’ve given your captain. He’s finally letting go enough to mourn his dear wife!”

Renji tried not to blush at the idea of having given Byakuya a “gift” last night. Still, her story was much better than the truth, and, as a bonus, it made everyone look good. He decided it best not to comment.

Matsumoto led them to a little outdoor market that catered to the shinigami in the Seireitei. Renji let himself be pulled along as Matsumoto inspected each vendor. There were roasted sweet potatoes, ramen of all varieties, fried octopus balls, and okonomiyaki, a savory seafood pancake covered in seaweed flakes, mayonnaise and pickled ginger. Matsumoto seemed delighted by everything. By the end, Renji’s pockets were empty, but his stomach was full.

After the feast, they sat on a low bench finishing the remains of a fruity crepe-like dessert and watching the crowds drift through the marketplace.

“You know, I actually was looking for you to ask you something,” Renji said, stretching his legs. “Though it’s kind of awkward now.”

“Oh?” Matsumoto seemed intrigued, licking a bit of whipped cream from her generous lips. “Awkward could be fun.”

“It’s actually about Byakuya,” he said, hating to disappoint her. “You seem to know everything that goes on here, is he over his grief… I mean, do you know? Does he have a lady friend or a guy pal or whatever?”

“Why?”

She looked at him very curiously, and he found he had to drop her gaze in order to answer. “Oh, uh, it’s just that I found… something in his quarters that got me curious.”

“Oh, like what!? Please tell me he has sex toys!”

“I don’t even…” Renji stuttered trying to imagine what exactly she was picturing. He wanted to dissuade her, but wasn’t like he could mention the lube. He already felt flushed. What had made him think talking about this to anyone was a good idea? “Uh, no, it wasn’t anything like that.”

“Bondage gear! I could totally see Kuchiki into dominance, couldn’t you?”

A blush raged across Renji’s cheeks. He coughed, thinking back on the magical restraints. “Actually, I could.”

“Uh-huh,” she said, watching his reaction closely. “I knew it. He’s totally the sort. So what did you find? Handcuffs? A gag? Whips? What?”

“I… can’t say.” To her furious, frustrated glare, he raised his hands. “He trusts me, remember?”

“Fine,” she sniffed, tossing those curls again. “But, I have no idea who he’d be playing those sorts of games with, anyway. The only other person I think that’s into that sort of thing is Mayuri.”

Renji let out a small horrified noise. “Ah! Seriously! Please tell me no one is insane enough to have sex with that guy! Ever, under any circumstances!”

“You never know,” Matsumoto purred playfully. “It takes all kinds. I’m always surprised Kenpachi gets as much action as he does.”

Renji snorted in agreement. “Yeah, but suicide is different than long, drawn out torture.”

“What about you, Renji? Are you dating anyone?”

The question caught him off guard. He pointed to his nose. “Me?”

“Are you still pining after the other Kuchiki?”

Awk-ward.

He scratched his chin, and looked around for a garbage to toss away the remains of their dessert. “I wouldn’t call it pining,” he said. He stood and crumpled the thin, waxy paper. Finding a bin, he gave it an irritated toss. “Anyway, Rukia’s deployed to the human world right now.”

“What does that mean? Are you two non-exclusive while she’s away?”

“We were never… look, there was not much of an ‘us’ to begin with.”

“Oh,” Matsumoto might have been going for a sympathetic noise, but the word came out sounding sort of pleased. Standing up, she took him by the arm again. They made their way back in the direction of the Sixth division barracks.

Renji really wished that Matsumoto hadn’t brought up Rukia. He’d successfully put her out of his mind for days, and now he missed her all over again. Not for the reasons everyone thought. Of course he wanted her that way, but she was also his best friend. Or, at least, she used to be, until she became a Kuchiki.

Damn that family, anyway.

Matsumoto’s fingers curled around the crook of his elbow, and he glanced over at her. She seemed completely at ease with him, though he’d never really thought of her as much more than a colleague. Hell, half the time, he couldn’t even remember what division she was in or who her captain was. Even so, it was hard not to like her, with her easy smile and amazingly hot body which always seemed on the verge of falling out of her shihakushô.

She must have sensed his attention, because she looked up at him. It was nice, too, that they weren’t that far apart in height. She had to be at least five eight, that was only six or so inches difference. Sometimes he got tired of looming over every woman he met.

“I heard a rumor about you too, you know,” Matsumoto said with a coy, little smile.

“Oh?” Renji wasn’t sure he wanted to hear what people in the Soul Society thought about him.

“I heard you were wandering around the streets last night without any clothes on.”

“What?” Renji stopped short suddenly, breaking their contact. “Where the hell did you hear that?”

“Gin,” she said, turning to face him where he’d stopped in the street. Completely unfazed by his reaction, she continued with a little seductive purr, “Is it true? Do you have more than just those?” Matsumoto pointed a finger at the tattoos at his neck and eyebrows.

Renji’s mouth worked furiously as he tried to decide what bothered him the most about this turn in the conversation. Eventually, he settled on, “I had _some_ clothes on,” he insisted. “Why is Ichimaru talking to you about my body, anyway?”

“Because we share a common interest in the male form,” she said with a slight giggle.

“Share…? Male….?” Renji blinked. Wait, what was she implying? Ichimaru preferred to look at… men?

She was shaking her head at him like he was the biggest lug she had ever met. “He was your lieutenant, didn’t you know? I thought everyone knew.”

“I…. no,” he admitted. “It didn’t come up.”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure it did.”

“Wha..? Agh! I….”

“It’s really easy to fluster you, you know. It’s kind of cute,” she smiled. Taking him by the hand, she tugged him until he followed her. “C’mon, I should get you back. Otherwise, whoever you left in charge is going to have a meltdown.”

#

 

The Sixth Division was still standing when Matsumoto deposited Renji at the front door. He hadn’t been able to carry much of the conversation during their short walk, but that didn’t seem to bother Matsumoto in the least. She went on about everything from the warming spring weather to her opinion of the latest installment of the romance Captain Kyōraku had written for the _Seireitei Communication_. Renji was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Gin Ichimaru was apparently _nanshoku_ , and that he and Matsumoto shared an interest in Renji’s tattoos.

As they parted, Matsumoto pulled him down to whisper in his ear. “We should do this again,” she suggested. “We have a lot in common, you and me.”

“Hm?” he was having trouble with words, especially given the view she offered, directly down into the valley of her breasts. Where did that silver chain go?

“Yes,” she said, her breath tickling his ear. “I understand your zanpaktō is an animal. Mine too.”

Her fingernails dug into the flesh of his wrist, in case he missed her meaning. He stammered, “Oh.”

She left him standing there, dazed, with a wave and a sashay of hips.


End file.
